1) Formed by guitarist Brick Williams, Hourglass is a Progressive Metal group from Utah, USA. The band's first effort was the hard-to-come-by "This Lonely Time and Place," followed up by the much more polished "The Journey Into" in 2002 and 2004's "Subconscious." The band released the double album "Oblivious to the Obvious" on February 19, 2009.
54 months is a long time to work on an album. But that is exactly how long it took Hourglass to finish their new double album "Oblivious to the Obvious." Four and a half years of writing, recording, mixing, mastering and the result is 139 minutes worth of music. Even though it is a lot of music, it is only 10 songs. Hourglass has never worried too much about the length of their songs, and epic songs have always been a part of what the band does. "Oblivious to the Obvious" is no exception. The album has a little of everything, from heavy metal riffs and screaming vocals, to laid back piano and acoustic passages, and some very tasteful groove sections. Vocal harmonies are scattered throughout the album as are many guitar, keyboard, and even bass solos. There is something for everyone on "Oblivious to the Obvious."
The band has gone through numerous personnel changes with Williams as the sole constant. Current drummer John Dunston replaced Zachary Taylor for "The Journey Into." Founding keyboardist Eric Robertson and current keyboardist Jerry Stenquist have traded seats twice, with Robertson playing on "This Lonely Time and Place" and "Subconscious," and Stenquist playing on "The Journey Into" and "Oblivious to the Obvious."
Bassist Jon Berrett played on the first two albums, then Clark Woolstenhulme played on "Subconscious," and the bass chair is currently held by one-time Hourglass vocalist Eric Blood for "Oblivious to the Obvious."
A different vocalist has performed on each album, with Jon Shumway on "This Lonely Time and Place," Chad Neth on "The Journey Into," Cody Walker on "Subconscious," and Michael Turner for "Oblivious to the Obvious."
Hourglass takes strong influences from Dream Theater, Fates Warning, Rush, and many other prog metal, prog rock, and classic rock outfits. The band enjoys a local following in the greater Salt Lake City area, and has significant fan bases in Europe and Scandinavia. All their albums have been independently released and financed by the band or individual band members.
2) 90's emo band. Their discography includes a seven inch on Immigrant Sun and a split with New Day Rising on Moo Cow .
3) Hip-Hop producer based out of Los Angeles, California.
Homeward Bound
Hourglass Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That dreary life I led
Its weight was crushing
Down upon me
I had no place in mind when I left
So I hit the road, headed west
How the world just opened up
Is this all life is meant to be,
Just another cog in the big machine?
This is the place, now is the time
You'd better act now
Or life will pass you by
What is the point if there's no joy inside
A meaningless life is no life at all
My vision was filled with water and sand
Light danced across the shore
And waves came crashing
As if they were greeting a friend
Took off my shoes and went for a swim
The water called me on
I followed its melody
Plunged right into the unknown
This is how life is meant to be
Just another dreamer living my dream
This is the place, now is the time
You'd better act now
Or life will pass you by
What is the point if there's no joy inside
A meaningless life is no life at all
The lyrics of Hourglass's song Homeward Bound describe the journey of a person who feels trapped in their current life and decides to embark on a journey to find something more meaningful. The first stanza talks about the singer feeling suffocated by their current life and the need to escape, even though they didn't have a specific destination in mind. The second stanza reflects the singer's realization as they embark on their journey and see the world open up before their eyes. They contemplate whether life is just about being a small part in a big machine, highlighting their quest for something more fulfilling.
Line by Line Meaning
I had to leave, I had to escape
I had no choice but to leave the dreary life that was weighing me down.
That dreary life I led
My previous way of life was monotonous and unfulfilling.
Its weight was crushing
The weight of the previous way of life was too much to bear.
Down upon me
It was causing me to feel trapped and unable to move forward.
I had no place in mind when I left
I didn't know where I was going when I left.
So I hit the road, headed west
I started driving towards the west without a clear destination.
How the world just opened up
The world became full of possibilities after I left my previous life.
Right before my eyes
I began to see things I hadn't seen before and gained a new perspective on life.
Is this all life is meant to be
I questioned whether the monotonous life I left was all that there was to life.
Just another cog in the big machine?
I wondered if I was just a small and insignificant part of a larger system.
This is the place, now is the time
The present moment is the best time to take action and make a change.
You'd better act now
There is a sense of urgency in making a change and not putting it off.
Or life will pass you by
If you don't take action, opportunities may be missed and life may pass you by.
What is the point if there's no joy inside
There is no point to life if it is devoid of happiness and fulfillment.
A meaningless life is no life at all
A life without purpose and passion is not worth living at all.
My vision was filled with water and sand
Upon arriving at my new destination, my senses were filled with the sight of water and sand.
Light danced across the shore
The sun's reflection on the water created a beautiful and mesmerizing sight.
And waves came crashing
The waves of the ocean were powerful and impactful.
As if they were greeting a friend
The waves seemed welcoming and familiar as if they were happy to see me.
Took off my shoes and went for a swim
I removed my shoes and decided to embrace my new surroundings by going for a swim.
The water called me on
There was a sense of attraction and longing to be in the water at that moment.
I followed its melody
I was entranced by the allure of the water and felt compelled to move towards it.
Plunged right into the unknown
I embraced the uncertainty of the water by diving in without hesitation.
This is how life is meant to be
By taking risks and embracing the unknown, life becomes more fulfilling and exciting.
Just another dreamer living my dream
By taking action towards finding what brings joy and fulfillment, I am living my dream.
Contributed by Nathan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.